A need exists for women to safely, comfortably and discreetly contain bodily fluids such as menses and urine. Conventional tampons are internally inserted into the vaginal cavity and are used to absorb menses. Conventional sanitary napkins or undergarments are worn inside a person's underwear to absorb bodily fluids.
But conventional tampons have drawbacks. During use they are a foreign object inserted into the female body and this inherently can cause various problems, including toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal illness. The use of superabsorbent polymers within such tampons increases the risk of toxic shock syndrome and was discontinued from use in the 1980s due to this concern.
Sanitary napkins are not an entirely satisfactory alternative to tampons. Sanitary napkins can be thick and bulky, causing discomfort to the wearer and have limited absorbency where needed. Sanitary napkins can also shift during wear, increasing the risk of embarrassing leaks onto a wearer's clothing.
A need exists for a feminine hygiene absorbent device that decreases the risk of embarrassing leaks and spills of bodily fluids while avoiding the drawbacks of conventional tampons.